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By Pete McIntyre

Beacon fire may impact some planes at airport

Jan 16, 2020 | 12:55 PM

Damage from a fire near Swan Lake Wednesday will have minimal impact on the overall operations at the Vernon Regional Airport, according to the City of Vernon.

A navigational beacon in a shed on L&A Cross Road was destroyed by a fire at the north end of Swan Lake.

Fire officials are investigating the cause, but BX Fire Chief Bill Wacey said Wednesday it was not considered suspicious and may have started in the beacon’s electrical components.

The city said the non-directional beacon that was damaged is one of three instrument approaches to the Vernon Airport.

“The unavailability of this approach will have an impact on lower visibility arrivals (meaning some flights may be delayed or cancelled), however there will be little impact to the overall operations of the airport,” said Christy Poirier, manager of communications and grants for the city.

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There is no word on how much it will cost to replace the beacon at this point.

“The City of Vernon is assessing damages and causes at this time. No cost estimate is available yet,” Poirier added.

by Pete McIntyre
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